Depending on how you look at it, addictions can be good or bad.
For instance, smoking weed….
Bad.
But, being addicted to volunteering at an animal shelter? Good!
Granted, there’s always a line that can be crossed when something goes from a healthy addiction to a not-so-healthy one. Even seemingly good things like eating healthy, shopping, collecting things, or exercising are not immune. They may look healthy, but can go from beneficial to OCD in the blink of en eye.
The key is recognizing the equilibrium shift; that point when your friend decides to hop off the seesaw and sends you crashing down on your butt…..or in this chick’s case– face.
As of late, I’ve really taken time to reflect on my passions and hobbies. I want to rediscover Alexandra.
In the process of this, I’ve become aware of some of my “seemingly healthy, but not-so-healthy” addictions.
- Striving for perfection (with grades/classwork, jobs, weightlifting, saving money)
- Studying
- Working out
- Having a plan for each day (what I do at “x–o’clock”, where I run errands etc)
- Eating healthy 24/7
To the innocent passerby, these seem like healthy qualities to have, right? People want to eat healthy, do their best in school, and have a gameplan for a successful day, agreed?
But there’s more that lurks beneath each addiction. Sneaky little buggers.
I’ve taken them to such extremes that they’ve transformed into a big ol’ creepy monster living under my bed that goes by the name of stress. He stirs up worry, fret, and fear when I can’t get “my fix.”
Helloooooooo cortisol
Who would want to live that way?! (although you gotta admit that purple monster is kinda cute haha)
So basically, in addition to following my new lifting plan, I’ve decided to take these seemingly healthy addictions and return them to a genuinely healthy status.
How?
Accepting the problems. Taking baby steps. Leaning on God.
Time. Patience. Prayer. Support.
I want to reach my healthiest potential and I realize that comes along with stretching boundaries that enstill fear within my current state of mind. But if it means restoring my mind to a state free of stress/stinkin thinkin? Then BRING IT ON, challenges– I’m ready to take you down.
One good thing has come from pin-pointing my “not-so-healthy” health addictions– I’ve discovered new addictions; new GOOD addictions that benefit my life.
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#1 Ezekiel sandwiches with pb, apple butter, and whole eggs. Especially cold.
the apple butter is hiding in there somewhere
#2 Photography. Especially sunsets at the dock.
#3 Guy Harvey Shirts. Especially when they’re 1/2 off and feature your favorite sea life.
#4 Painting. Especially when you find canvases in your apartment dumpster.
oh hey foot, way to be a creeper
This is how I found them…any suggestions on what I should paint?? I’m thinking something ocean-y!
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Hopefully my “not so healthy” addictions can join this new group. Striving to be my best, studying, schedules, and eating healthy are all great addictions to have…just not when they exist at one far end of a spectrum.
Life’s all about finding a healthy balance, and I think it’s time I restored equilibrium on my teeter-totter 
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What are some of your healthy addictions? Any “not-so-healthy” seemingly healthy addictions?
And randomly: Favorite sea creature? (mine are sharks and swordfish hehee)
GREAT post, Alexandra! No matter how healthy a habit may be, your focus on it can ultimately make it unhealthy! I know I reached a point where I was “unhealthily” eating “healthy foods”…ie there was no room for balance or treats…it was clean eating or no eating! And I’m sure you’ll agree that’s a pretty sucky way to live!
Agreed! Little indulgences make life exciting!
I can agree with EVERYTHING on that list. If I didn’t have everything ‘perfect.’ my anxiety would reach all time highs. I’d never eat ‘treats,’ I always had to work out, I HAD to study for everything (even for things I knew 100%). It’s ridiculous and no way to live. I was afraid to have to eat more, but I’ve been adding more food and I feel bloated. But you know what? I know that I have to get through the storm to get to the rainbow. I SHALL REACH MY GOALS! Even if that means a little bloat and fat comes with it
“I know that I have to get through the storm to get to the rainbow.” beautiful way to look at it
I know you’re going to reach your goals girl, rock on!
and you know what? His Mercies are new every morning. Go to him, rest, and restore!
xxoo
It’s so great that you are taking time to analyze what you spend your time doing. I have had the time to learn more about me this summer and I know I love art and drawing, puzzles, reading, and catching up with people one-on-one. My bad addictions would also have to do with exercising.
Great post, Zandra!!! I think a lots of us “healthy living bloggers” run the risk of falling into the “healthy-obsessed” kind of thinking. It sounds like you’re on the right track!!! Good luck
It’s funny how being healthy actually involves being a little unhealthy sometimes
You are an awesome photographer!
Ohhh man that picture of the girl on the seesaw made me cringe big time. I love the idea of equilibrium and balance… I used to have so many problems with seemingly “healthy” addictions… eating clean all the time, perfect grades, exercising daily… but I found, just like you, that those healthy habits actually made me incredibly unhealthy and I ended up being more miserable and stressed than I’ve ever been. It wasn’t until I started engaging in more “unhealthy” habits that I found what I think is a truer version of health. That means skipping exercise sometimes, enjoying my favorite treats just because, living it up with friends, not always eating my veggies… things that aren’t “healthy” in theory, but things that have made me a whole hell of a lot healthier in practice.
Oh, and I’m a big fan of orcas
Isn’t it cool how unhealthy stuff can sometimes be the most healthy thing for you?? Gotta embrace it all and find the balance
And yay orcas!!!! I love em too 
what a great post, I couldn’t relate more!
Awesome post Alexandra
I think sometimes it can be hard to distinguish whether or not you are OCD about something or if it’s a GOOD addiction, at least for me! For me, I consider it a good addiction if it brings you happiness and doesn’t give any harm physically and mentally.
I think exercise is a tricky one for a lot of people. since one can easily use exercise as an excessive weight loss tool and for other things not so good…
Such a great post! There can be such a fine line between healthy habits and unhealthy ones… and it can be really easy to cross it when you have a perfectionist type of personality. It’s hard for people like us just to do something in moderation because we always feel like we have to put our 100% into everything, even if it starts becoming unhealthy. Thank goodness we can change that once we recognize it though.
Oh yes, we can definitely reach a point where our “healthiness” reaches a point of unhealthiness. You should read the book Health Junkies. It was a really eye opening book for me about my obsessions with healthy foods and taking it too far.
I definitely tend to get this way with almost everything I do, so its important to step back and approach things differently every once in a while. I’m so happy you are realizing this!:)
xox
You made a lot of great points and I can’t agree with you more! I think balance is soo important in life. I’m so glad you’re working on this in your own life & you’ve def inspired me to step back and think about balance in my life as well. Thanks, friend
Have a great weekend!
I love that you pointed out that our seemingly healthy addictions, like to always eating healthy or working out all the time, aren’t healthy at all when we take them to the extremes! I have gotten so much better at not being such a perfectionist in all areas of my life over the past year and it feels so much better to just live life sometimes, you know?!
Favorite ocean creatures are dolphins and jellyfish! Jellyfish are cool and a little creepy and dolphins are just really cute!
Love this! I was talking about balance as my “healthy habit” to create this month in Jenn’s WIAW posts! It’s definitely something I need to work on too! Not letting things stress me out or take over all of my time! Love that you talked about this! Have an awesome weekend girl!
This was a really good post Alexandra, I think you’ve addressed something that can be really prevalent, especially with the blogworld. I have addictions/obsessions too, some of which have probably gone too far and I want to make them healthy again so this came just at the right time for me! Your new addictions sound great, I love your sunset photos
Looking forward to seeing what you paint!
I want those shirts!
There is definitely such thing as too much of a good thing. That’s one of my many mottos. Sometimes pushing myself gets kind of addictive and dangerous. I always want to be the best so I’ll push myself to absolute exhaustion when I get really emotional. You always gotta check yourself before you wreck yourself.
Absolutely agree with this and am glad you wrote your words and thoughts out on such a subject! Oh and for the record, that girl on the seesaw is both cringe-worthy but also does make me giggle a bit too… that’s bad isn’t it?! Lol
Anyway, there really is too much of a good thing, or what is considered “good” in our society- eating healthy, exercising, losing weight, and so on. But for some people, such things are taken too far and it’s no longer something healthy, not at all as a matter of fact. I started to feel my best when I did things that were considered UN-healthy… eat more processed foods, exercise less, get out there with friends and as a result end up going to sleep much later than normal… but then those things are a part of life and there the balance comes in
Your positive addictions are pretty bomb sauce, those photos are beautiful!